Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-25
An Object Lesson.

The New York Tribune reproduces from
iht ISpdich a recent editorial paragraph
in which we accounted for the violent out
breaks Of temper In The North because OF
the Presidents flag-order by saying that
there must be in the minds OF the milig-
psnts much doubt as TO the justice OF their
Cause. That paper pronounce> our httle
paragraph "a unique tribute to the Lost
Cause" We intended it As nothing more
than psychological study, so to speak.
We had tired 10 divine the motive OF the
sh,iekers, and had per force come to the
conclusion that they were either hypocrltes
and demagogues or else men who were so
doubtful as to the justice OF the cause OF the
North that they could not tolerate liberty
of speech in regard TO ii. Error is harm
less where reason is left free to combat it,
But the shrickers we're not sure that 1t was
"crror" that they had been combating;
and 30 they rallied at the President and at
tn, ..rebels," and at the dirty rags" we
call flags. We took the most charitable
view Of the matter.
The Tribune publishes the following
resolution as having been adopted By New
York Republican club:
Resolved, That we believe, in the Ian
c,uage of Garfield. that "the cause OF the
IuIon was right-eicrnally right; the cause
of rebellion wrong eternaly wrong y;
and while We have no desire 10 revive the
animosities Of a conflict forever closed, the
truth Il history endurCs and cannot De- re-
ySrscd; and we do not feel that The inter
esls Of conciliation aud fraternity involve
taWDing suhScrvienCy To the " LIS Cause
or iect apology for crushing their armies,
and We will never consent that the en-
blems Of treason shall be recognized and
deemed as worthy and sacred g. the tri'
Imphsnt banner Of our common country.
This remind, Us Of joins II. RiCE'S let
Ter in the Tribune o! June 18th, in which
lie spoke as follows:
"In order to round out in full measure
and perfect proportions the grand mOnu-
ment being erected TO Democratic con-
sl,tencv the President should Immediately
demand from each and every officer and
soldier who blcd and fought in the Union
armies q parole Of honor duly executed.
never again to fight with bullet or ballot
against the solid south and the Demo.
cratic party. or in deilui, thereof 10 report
a Richmond or AndersOnvile rs prison.
orS OF war.
We don't know who wrote the resOu-
tons, or speeches. or articles, on which
our first comment was based; nor who
pepned the club resolution above quoted;
but the Voice, a New York weekly edited
DIV I'VE think a clergyman, tells Us who
JOHN II. RICE l.. 1t says:
.Ifthc writer Of the above Is, as we have
Good reason to believe. John II. Rice, OF
Kansas, he can safely make the suggestions
therein contained for If they were literally
carried out il would not hurt him in the
least, because 1t The very time our boys IN
blue 'bled and fought IN the Union ar
mics he was publishing rebel geogrl-
rhy down in GeOr.I1. in Nhich geography
II i asserted that the chief cornerstone OF
the 'Coni,der5cy was African slavery.
and that the Confederate Government
was the bCst form OF government upon
earth
OF course, Mr.. RICE, q Confederate
turned traitor, has much doubt as to the
Justice Of the cause he dcrided and OPP
po.ed whilst war was GIgrant. We count
ourselves fortunate in being enabled by the
Toice 10 furnish to the Tribune an object
lesson. Mr.. RICE's history and his violent
words explain all that we meant by the
Paragraph quoted from the Dispatch by the
Tribltne.